Published On:Thursday, September 02, 2010

A whole book of the Bible is devoted to Job and his trials. The book of Job is believed to be written between 600 and 300 BC. The disease described Job is controversial and has been of interest to theologists, psychiatrists and skin disease specialists for many years.

Proposing the medical diagnosis of a person who died a long time ago is not as impossible as it seems, if sufficient medical history is available.

Mozart the great composer suffered from chronic tonsillitis and eventually had kidney infection. He is thought to have died of Chronic Renal Failure.

Let us look at Job's story and see if in this 21 century, a possible diagnosis of his skin disease can be reached.

The Story

Job is a thriving livestock rancher, married and the father of 10 children, living in the land of Uz. Where was this Biblical land? The exact location is unknown, but it is believed to be modern day Yemen. (A Muslim country in the Middle East).

Renowned for his piety, Job is ever praised by God in the Angelic Council. Satan a skeptical ex-archangel offers an experiment to test whether Job's piety is really sincere or predicated on his God given wealth. With God's permission, Satan sends a series of catastrophes, from economic disaster to the death of Job's children (Job 1:19). Job's reply? He praised God's name! Then again with God's permission Satan strikes Job with "sore boils from the sole of his feet unto his crown" (Job 2:7).

What exactly were these "boils"? Were these pimples as we know today, red itchy bumps on the skin, that dry up and leave dark marks?

The answer is NO!

The original language words for "boils in Job 2:7 is not plural. Rather it is singular in the Hebrew, a burning sore. In other words, Job was covered all over with one large skin inflammation!

The McClintock and Strong Encyclopedia (2000) records that from antiquity Job's disease was commonly believed to have been "elephantiasis" and a very early Greek version names this disease in the text of Job 2:7 as Job's ailment. However McClintock and Strong also caution that it may not be possible from the Bible text to confidently affirm from what particular disease Job suffered.

Yet Barnes Commentary (1997) likewise presents the likelihood of Job's disease being elephantiasis, that was common in Bible times. In addition the definitions of the original language words in Job are pertinent to the disease described, a burning ulceration that enveloped all of Job's Skin. There were eruptions on the skin that are first red and later turn black. Especially with the limbs, the skin swells and becomes crusty and irregular, resembling the hide of an elephant, hereby the word elephantiasis.

The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary (1997) agrees that Job's illness appeared to be elephantiasis. The Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament also ascribes elephantiasis to Job and describes the disease. However, Wycliff Bible Commentary(1962) summarises Job's disease by saying, modern medical opinions is not unanimous in it diagnosis of Job's disease, but according to the prognosis in Job's day, it was apparently hopeless.

The horrible symptoms included inflamed eruptions accompanied by intense itching (Job 2:7:8), maggots in skin ulcers (Job7:5), erosions of the bones (Job 30:17), blackening and falling off of the skin (Job 30:30) and terrifying nightmares (Job 7:14). Job's whole body it seems was rapidly smitten with loathsome, painful symptoms.

The clinical picture of the disease consists of deterioration in its general condition with widespread pain, confusions, skin eruptions, vomiting, depression and so on.

The opinions differ on his diagnosis today. The Journal "Archives of Neuro-Psychiatry (June 2009) suggests Job had Chronic Renal Failure with neurological alterations. The Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine (2007) says Job had severe Scabies (An itchy skin disease). Whatever disease Job had, there was considerable physical and mental suffering.

Job's concerned wife urges him to break his silence and curse God even at the risk of dying. Job refuses. Then his three friends arrive from afar to console him. So deformed by his tragedy and illness that the friends were rendered speechless themselves by his appearance. He then dialogues with God, whom he questions. God does not answer his question but overwhelms him with a poetic picture of his divine power and wisdom. Job humbly acknowledges God as wise and great. He is then miraculously cured by God of his severe skin disease and restored to his riches again.

How long did Job suffer from his disease? Was it weeks, months or a year? The answer is not given.

If Job became sick in this 21st century, with a severe, generalised skin disease, what would his treatment be? First a medical history would be taken, then a physical exam, blood test or and a skin biopsy would be done. Once diagnosed his treatment would have been maybe antibiotics, and steroids, immunosuppressants, and skin moisturisers. His itching and depression would also be treated. Most likely in this 21st century a diagnosis would be found.

How long did Job really live?

According to the Bible he was an "old man" when afflicted and after this trial lived 140 years after. Various commentators construe Job's life span as being anywhere from 140-220 years!

He is said to have seen his sons and his son's sons even four generations! What a happy ending to a story of faith.

In conclusion, according to the Miami Herald travel article 2009 Sunday edition, there is a proposed tomb in Yemen that is said to be Job's final resting place. Is this true? Could this tourist attraction really be Job's tomb?

This would surely lead some credence to the Biblical story.

* Dr Cleland Gooding is a Physician with a Specialty in Skin Diseases. He works for the Bahamas Government. The above article is From his series entitled "Skin Diseases of the Bible: A modern View".

E-mail: Clegood5@hotmail.com